Apparatus for detaching mines from their anchors.



G. L. GOEDHART.

APPARATUS FOR DETACHING MINES FROM THEIR ANCHORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11- I918.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

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G. L. GOEDHART.

APPARATUS FOR DETACHING MINES FROM THEIR ANCHORS.

APPUCATION FILED APR. II. 1918.

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GERRIT LOUIS GOEDHART, OF THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS.

APPARATUS FOR DETACHING MINES FROM THEIR ANGHORS.

. Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed April 11, 1918. Serial No. 228,062.

To all/whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERRIT LOUIS Gono- HART, a subject of the Queen ofthe Netherlands, residing at The Hague, Netherlands, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Detaching Minesfrom Their Anchors, of which the following is a specification.

It is a well-known fact that anchored mines may be inactivated bydetaching them from their anchors by means of a suitable apparatus towedthrough the water by a socalled mine-sweeper.

The present invention relates to an apparatus of this type which has forits object to cut through the anchoring chains of such mines. Theapparatus comprises cutting-pliers whose aws when engaging an anchoringchain are automatically closed owing to the resistanceofi'ered by saidchain.

The annexed drawings illustrate an apparatus inaccordance with thepresent invention; in these drawings:

Figure 1 shows a plan view;

Fig. 2 represents a sectionalview along AAinFig. 1; j

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along BB in Fig. 1 and illustrates theposition of an anchoring chain between the jaws of the apparatus; v v

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a part for guiding the movable jaw;

Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of-a so-called bridge-piece;

Fig. 6 represents a perspective view of a pawl used in connection withthe arrangement shown in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 7 shows a plan view of part of the apparatus with a pawlarrangement of somewhat difl'erent construction. I r I The apparatuscomprises a substantially triangular frame composed of a topplate l anda bottom plate 2 secured thereto at a suitable distance, thecutting-pliers being mounted between these plates. At the cornets 3 and1, the frame is connected to a towing rope 5, which is carried bysupports extending from the bow and side of a ship. The frame carries asuitable floater 50, in such a manner that the apparatus during itsmovement through the water assumes a substantially horizontal position.i

The cutting-pliers are composed of two jaws 6, 7, provided withremovableknives. p

the latter is deflected and glides along said The jaw 6 is secured'to orintegral with a yoke 8 rotatablymountedon apivot 9 of the frame. Theother jaw 7 is rotatably connected to the jaw 6 by means of a pivot 10,and to one end of a rod 12 by means of a pivot 11, the other end of thesaid rod 12 beingrotatably mounted on. a pivot 13 of the frame.- An arm14, secured to the yoke 8 isengaged by a spring 16 connected with a hook15 which is adjustably secured to the frame, in such a manner, that thesaid arm 14 always has a tendency to move the yoke 8 into'the positionshown in Fig. 1. In this position the yoke 8 with the cuttingpliers isheld by a spring blade 17 provided with a lug 18 (see Fig. 6) having asuitably inclined face 19.

The jaw 7 is integral with a finger 20 lo-.

cated opposite its cutting edge in such a manner that the said membersinclose a comparatively narrow mouth. For properly guiding the jaw 7 ablock 22, illustrated in detail in-Fig. 4c, is secured between top andbottom plates 1 and 2 respectively; said block is provided with asuitable recess 21 for receiving the jaw 7, and formed so as to cause amine anchor cable which is deflected along the rope 5 to be positivelyfed into the mouthof the jaw 7.

' In order to avoid any clearance between the block 22 and the rope 5,whichmight cause a deflected mine anchor cable to be caught before itenters the mouth of the jaw 7, the frame is provided with a swivel blockor mounted on apivot 23 and around which the rope 5 is passed. It isobvious that the swivel block, when turning in the direction "of thearrow 25, has a tendency to firmly press the rope 5 against the block22,the

pressure increasing proportionate to the tension' in the rope 5.

Should a mine anchor cable engage the apparatus at a point behind thecuttingpliers, it is essentialv that it may glide off the apparatuswithout being caught; the apparatus J is, therefore, provided with abridge-piece 27 rotatably mounted on a pivot 28 near the corner 4 of theframe. Said bridge-piece is illustrated in detail in Fig. 5; incross-section it has a U-shape, and it is engaged by'spring29 whichalways tends to move itinto the position shown in Fig. 1, when its frontend receives the jaw 6.

The operationof the apparatus is as fol lows: 1

If the rope 5 engages a mine anchor cable,

rope-so as to be fodinto'the comparatively narrow mouth of the jaw 7.The width of said mouth is such that the mouth can receive a link of thechain only whensaid link lies flat as shown in Fig. 3. Now, owing to thepressure exerted by the anchor chain on the member and jaw 6, the yoke 8is pressed against the inclined face 19 of the lug 18 of spring pawl 17,so that the latter closed and, consequently, the anchor chain cutthrough before the yoke 8 at the end of its circular path contacts withthe frame. During this movement the jaw 6 glides along the inner face ofthe bridge-piece 27 without its movement being interfered with thereby.

As soon as the anchor chain has been out through, the cutting. pliers,under the influence of the spring 16, return into their originalposition in which they are locked by the spring pawl 17, 18.

The spring pawl 17 18 has for its object to prevent the cutting-pliersfrom being turned in the direction of the arrow 30 under the influenceof saystrong currents, in order that the apparatus may only be actuatedby a comparatively great resistance such as is offered by amine anchorchain. Fig. 7 shows another construction of the pawl arrangement. Thisarrangement comprises a hookshaped lever. 32 rotatably mounted on apivot 31 of the jaw 7, and having a projec- -tion 33 which, when theapparatus is inoperative, is engaged by a lug 34 on the guidepiece 22;in this position the hook 32, held by a spring 35, looks thecuttingpliers in their-position shown in. Fig. 1 If, however, a mineanchor chain enters the mouth of the jaw 7, this chain will press theinner end of the hook 32 against the action ofthe spring so that thehooktur'ns about'the pivot '31 and the projection 33 disengages the Ylug 34, when the cuttingpliersare free to rotate about the pivot 9.

the cutting-pliers return into their original 'After'the anehorchain hasbeen cut through,

position "and the lug 34.-'rengages the .pro-

jection 33 so as'to again lockthe apparatus.

' What I claim: and desire to'secure by Letters-Patent is: p k r 1. Inan apparatus ofthe type-referred to, a frame'adapted to be secured to "atowing rope, with a cutting tool mo'vably mounted "therein and adapted"to become operative when moving relative to the frame,

- the cutting edges of said-cutting tool normally resting adjacent thepoint where the f frame'eennects to the rope, whereby said engaged byfed into the comprising two jaws pivotally connected together, one jawbeing pivoted to the frame directly, the other through a member to whichit is pivotally connected, the cutting edges of said cutting toolnormally resting adjacent the point where the frame connects to therope, whereby said rope. will act to guide a mine cable into position tobe engaged by the cutting tool.

3. In an apparatus of the type referred to, the combination of a frameadapted to be secured to a towing rope, a cutting tool comprising twojaws pivotally connected together, one aw being pivoted to the framedirectly, the other through a member to which it is pivotally connected,with a memher for yieldingly locking the cutting tool in its inoperativeposition, the cutting edges of said cutting tool normally restingadjacent the point where the frame connects to the rope, whereby saidrope will act to guide a mine cable into position to be engaged by thecutting tool.

4. In an apparatus of the type referred to, the combination of a frameadapted to be secured to a towing rope, a cutting tool comprising twojaws pivotally connected together, one jaw being pivoted to the framedirectly, the other through a member to which it is pivotally connected,with a spring drawn lever which is pivotally connected to one of thejaws and which, in the directly, the other through a member to j whichit is pivotally connected, with a rotatably mounted spring drawn bridgepiece which in the inoperative position of the apparatus forms asubstantially rectilinear guide between the cutting tool and the rearconnection for the towing rope;

6.'In an apparatus of the type referred to, the combination of a frameadapted to be secured to a towing rope, a cutting tool comprising twojaws pivotally connected together, one jaw being pivoted to the framedirectly, the other through a, member to which it is pivotallyconnected, with aguide piece provided with a recess for receiving themovable jaw of the cutting tool and arrange'dso as to cause a mineanchor cable the towing rope to be positively mouth. of the cutting;tool.

7 In an apparatus of the type referred to, the combination of a frameadapted to be secured to a towing rope, a cutting tool comprising twojaws having cutting edges and pivotally connected together, one jawbeing pivoted to the frame directly, the other through a member to whichit is pivotally connected, with a finger secured to the movable jaw insuch a manner, that a comparatively narrow mouth is formed between thefinger and the cutting edge of the jaw to which the finger is secured.

8. In an apparatus of the type referred to, the combination of a frameadapted to be secured to a towing rope, a cutting tool comprising twojaws pivotally connected together, one jaw being pivoted to the framedirectly, the other through a member to which it is pivotally connected,with a swivel block around which the towing rope may be passed andadapted to press said rope against the frame with a force which is proportionate to the tension of the rope.

9. In an apparatus of the type referred to, the combination of a frameadapted to be secured to atowing rope, a cutting tool comprising twojaws pivotally connected together, one jaw being pivoted to the framedirectly, the other through a member to which it is pivotally connectedwith a spring tending to move the cutting tool into the inoperativeposition, the cutting edges of said cutting tool normally resting adjacent the point where the frame connects to the rope, whereby said ropewill act to guide a mine cable into position to be engaged by thecutting tool.

10. In an apparatus of the type described in claim 1, a floater carriedby the frame adapted to maintain the apparatus in a substantiallyhorizontal position when the latter is being towed through the water.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GERRIT LOUIS GOEDHART.

Witnesses:

PLAN'ro FEHRE, H. VERHAGED.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O.

